Vegan Pineapple Pancakes & Spiced Rum Caramel Syrup

I’m really quite well behaved when dining in public. I know which bread plate and glasses are mine (bread on the left, wine and water on the right) and to keep my napkin on my lap until vacating the table at the end of the meal.

I’m well versed in what cutlery to use for what course (start from the outside and move in, thank you very much Pretty Woman) and where to place said cutlery to indicate I’ve finished (handles at 5 o’clock, fork tongs up to the ceiling or down to the plate depending on where in the world you are).

I even use both a fork and knife to eat, keeping them in the left and right hands respectively for the duration of the meal rather than swapping them over (if you’ve ever seen an American cut food then change hands to eat it you know what I’m talking about).

Depending on the company I’m in I try not to slouch or reach and, while my elbows end up on the table more than they should, you can take me pretty much anywhere without the risk of a Neanderthal fist grip shovelling of food or overzealous plate scraping. I can even shell a whole prawn with a knife and fork, no fingers needed. First-world skills but skills none the less.

Home is a bit of a different story though, and while most indiscretions are tame — dinner eaten on the lounge more often than the dining room work desk table, soups and stews mopped up with bread pinched between fingers, optional use of napkins, and so on — when it comes to Pineapple Pancakes with Spiced Rum Caramel all bets are off.

Caramel poured over an inappropriately large stack of pancakes for the purpose of photos, ahem. Caramel left in pools and smears on the plate once the pancakes are but a memory. Caramel first swiped with the edge of a fork then the tip of a finger — before said plate is lifted, tilted and licked clean.

Trust me you won’t want to waste a single drop or crumb of this plate of heaven.

We’ll get to the recipe in a moment but first I must pause to thank my Secret Recipe Club assignment for this month — Nicole from I am a Honey Bee — for the brilliant breakfast inspiration.

Pineapple pancakes it would be, but as I thought about them more they started to merge with coconut and rum and caramel and macadamia nuts…

Of course I cut out the sugar and dairy, used spelt and even replaced the egg just to see how psylum husk would work. Then I made up a vegan caramel with unrefined sugar and added a hefty dose of rum because I could.

You can go as simple as you’d like — serving these with pineapple infused maple or rice syrup — but if you have a few extra minutes the caramel is worth every second. Of course all this has made me want to go on a tropical holiday but I’m afraid another batch of pancakes may have to do for now.

Pineapple Pancakes with Spiced Rum Caramel Syrup

Like a tropical holiday on a plate — rich, sweet and just the right amount of sticky. I take no responsibility however for the ramifications of consumption on a bikini body… | Inspired by I am a Honey Bee for Secret Recipe Club

Makes 12

INGREDIENTS

For the pancakes

2 c whole spelt flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

½ tsp sea salt

½ tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp psylum husk plus ¼ c water* (equivalent to 1 egg)

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ c non-dairy milk

¾ c diced fresh pineapple*

coconut oil for the pan

For the caramel

½ c coconut sugar

¼ c water

1 c coconut cream (not light)

¼ tsp sea salt

1 cinnamon stick

1 Tbsp spiced rum

To serve

½ c pineapple, diced

generous ¼ c chopped macadamias, toasted

METHOD

To make the caramel syrup:

Warm the sugar and water in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved and bubbling.

Add coconut milk, salt and cinnamon stick to pan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat slightly and simmer for approx 15 mins until reduced by half. Remove from heat, stir through rum and set aside to cool. You should have ¾ c syrup.

To make the pancakes:

Combine psylum husk and water in a large jug and let sit 5 mins until thick. Add milk, vanilla and pineapple to psylum gel and stir well. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl, stir through pineapple mixture to combine.

Heat a bit of coconut oil in a skillet over medium low heat and pour in approx ¼ c batter per pancake. Cook until bubbles form on top, flip and cook until golden.

Serve with extra pineapple, macadamias and spiced rum syrup.

COOK’S NOTES

If you eat eggs feel free to replace the psylum husk and water with one egg, alternatively use chia or flax egg.

You can sub the fresh diced pineapple with a can of crushed pineapple that has been drained to give you ¾ c fruit.

The batter is quite thick and the pancakes need to cook low and slow. Freeze or refrigerate any extra and reheat in a toaster.